As of February 28, 2026, 4,398,000 Ukrainian citizens have temporary protection status in the European Union countries . In one month, their number increased by 22,400 people (+0.5%).
It will probably come as no surprise to anyone that this is the largest wave of forced migration in European history since World War II. It is worth noting that the majority of these nearly 5 million people are women and children.
We, in our editorial office of Ukrainian Information, decided to describe in detail all the key figures as of the end of February 2026 with reference to Eurostat data and the analysis of the head of the tax committee, Hetmantsev D. O. , about which he made a post on his channel.
Briefly about the main figures (as of the end of February 2026)
- The total number of Ukrainians with temporary protection in the EU is 4,398,000 people;
- Growth in one month (February) in percentage terms — +22,400 people (+0.5%).
- Distribution by age and gender:
- Women — 43.5%;
- Minors (children) — 30.2%;
- Men — 26.3%
TOP countries where Ukrainians most often traveled in February
| Country | Monthly growth | Growth rate |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | +7,245 people | +0.6% |
| Czech Republic | +2,445 people | +0.6% |
| Spain | +2,425 people | +0.9% |
TOP countries from which Ukrainians most often left
- Estonia — minus 710 people (-2.1%)
- France — minus 465 people (-0.9%)
Read also: Why is it not easy abroad? Refugees are returning to Ukraine
Where do most Ukrainians with temporary protection in the EU currently live?
| Place | Country | Number of people | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 1,267,000 | 28.8% |
| 2 | Poland | 966,600 | 22.0% |
| 3 | Czech Republic | 399,600 | 9.1% |
| 4 | Spain | 260 200 | — |
| 5 | Romania | 205,700 | — |
The highest concentration of Ukrainians relative to the country’s population:
- Czech Republic — 36.6 people per 1,000 population
- Poland — 26.5
- Slovakia — 26.0
What does this mean
The lion’s share of refugees are mothers with children. Many women have higher education: teachers, doctors, engineers, economists. They could be the key to solving the shortage of personnel in Ukraine.
Danylo Hetmantsev, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, emphasized:
“Our task as a state is to do everything to create conditions for our citizens to return home. Not to look for hundreds of thousands of migrants from other countries, but to fight for Ukrainians who want to return. They are the key to solving the problem of the shortage of specialists in the labor market.”
Read also: How much is paid for the birth of a child in Ukraine in 2026 and how to receive the payment
What to do now
- Detinization of the economy
- Increasing white salaries
- Large-scale affordable housing program
- Labor market reform according to European standards
But the main condition is peace . While the war continues, millions of Ukrainians continue to seek safety abroad.
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